Easy Gluten-Free Vegan French Apple Tart: An Allergy-Friendly Delight Inspired by Ina Garten

Searching for a last-minute dessert that’s effortlessly elegant, packed with apple flavor, and suitable for almost everyone at your table? Look no further! This incredible French Apple Tart, a thoughtful adaptation of Ina Garten’s beloved recipe, is completely gluten-free, vegan, and free from the top 8 common allergens. It’s perfect for Thanksgiving, the 4th of July, or any time a craving for warm, fruity goodness strikes. Forget fussy fillings and complicated crust crimping – this flat, open-faced tart celebrates the humble apple in all its glory, topped with a simple yet show-stopping glaze. It’s a pure apple experience designed for true apple lovers.

Why This Allergy-Friendly Apple Tart Will Be Your New Go-To Dessert

My husband often jokes that I don’t make apple pie often enough. And he’s not entirely wrong! Traditional apple pies, with their worries of soggy bottoms, perfectly thickened fillings, and the dreaded crimping of crust edges, can feel like a monumental task. As much as I adore a classic pie, sometimes simplicity is key. This French Apple Tart delivers all the comforting, familiar flavors of a homemade apple pie without the added fuss, making it a dream come true for busy cooks and dessert enthusiasts alike.

Beyond its ease, let’s talk about that visual appeal! This tart is a true showstopper. The artful arrangement of fanned apple slices, glistening atop a golden crust and not hidden beneath a top layer, creates a stunning presentation that’s bound to impress. Each slice of apple gets to shine, celebrating the natural beauty and texture of the fruit. It’s an elegant dessert that looks far more complicated to make than it actually is, perfect for holiday gatherings or a special weekend treat.

Effortless Baking with Pantry Staples

One of the many reasons to love this recipe is its reliance on simple pantry staples. Aside from fresh apples, you’ll likely already have gluten-free flour, sugar, vegan butter, salt, and xanthan gum on hand. This makes it an ideal recipe for those moments when you need a fantastic dessert in a pinch, or when you’re trying to avoid the chaotic crowds at grocery stores, especially during peak holiday seasons. Skip the stress of braving those pre-Thanksgiving aisles – your ingredients are probably already waiting in your kitchen!

Furthermore, this tart significantly simplifies the crust-making process. Many apple pies demand both a bottom and a top crust, doubling the rolling and shaping effort. This recipe embraces a single, elegant bottom crust, allowing the vibrant apple topping to be the star. No need to meticulously roll out a second crust or worry about perfectly sealing edges. The open-faced design not only simplifies preparation but also enhances the rustic charm and visual appeal of the tart.

Common Questions & Expert Tips for Your French Apple Tart

Choosing Your Apples for the Perfect Tart

While you can certainly use any apple variety you prefer, I find that a more tart apple, such as a Granny Smith, provides a wonderful balance to the sweet glaze and caramelized topping. The acidity cuts through the sweetness beautifully, creating a more complex flavor profile. However, feel free to use whatever apples you have on hand – just ensure you have about 5-6 medium-sized apples to cover the entire surface of the tart for that impressive fanned look. Softer apples will cook down more, while firmer apples will hold their shape better.

Sweetening Your Tart: Sugar Choices

You’ll notice my recipe deviates slightly from Ina’s traditional pure white sugar topping. I opt for a half-and-half blend of white sugar and brown sugar. This combination introduces a deeper, more nuanced caramel note to the apples as they bake, enhancing their natural sweetness and creating a richer flavor. If brown sugar isn’t available, using all white sugar will still yield a delicious result, just with a slightly brighter sweetness.

The Magic of Apricot Glaze

The apricot glaze is a non-negotiable step that truly elevates this tart. It provides a beautiful sheen and a subtle tang that complements the apples perfectly, making them “sing” as mentioned earlier. If apricot preserves are hard to find, apricot jelly or jam will work just as well. The key is to melt it down with apple juice until it’s smooth and easily brushable. If you don’t have apricot, a peach or even apple jelly could work in a pinch, though apricot offers a unique depth.

The Secret Ingredient: Apple Juice

I highly recommend using apple juice in both the glaze and potentially a splash over the apples before baking (if not using the brown sugar blend). For families with small children, apple juice is often a pantry staple. I find that it intensely amplifies the natural apple flavor, making the tart extra “apple-y” and allowing the fruit’s essence to truly shine through. It’s a simple addition that makes a significant difference.

Butter Options for Allergy-Friendly Baking

As this is a vegan and allergy-friendly recipe, you’ll be using vegan butter. There are many excellent brands available that perform wonderfully in baking. Choose the brand that is safest and most accessible for your dietary needs. Ensure it’s cold and diced for the crust, just like traditional butter, to achieve that flaky texture.

Making the Crust: Food Processor vs. By Hand

For the crust, a food processor is a game-changer. It makes bringing the dough together incredibly quick and easy, ensuring the butter is evenly distributed without overworking the dough. As you might have seen in the video (and yes, sometimes the lid goes on wrong – it happens to us all!), it significantly streamlines the process. My own food processor is a trusty, well-loved, vintage model passed down through family, proving you don’t need the latest gadget. If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a pastry blender or your fingertips to cut the cold vegan butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Just be mindful not to overmix, as warmth from your hands can melt the butter.

Adjusting for Non-Gluten-Free Diets

If you don’t need the tart to be gluten-free but still want it dairy-free/vegan, simply substitute the gluten-free flour with regular all-purpose flour. In this case, you can also omit the xanthan gum, as it’s primarily used in gluten-free baking to provide structure and elasticity that gluten would normally provide.

A Pure Apple Experience: No Cinnamon Needed

In this particular recipe, I intentionally skipped the cinnamon. While I love cinnamon, sometimes it feels like it’s in every fall dessert, and I wanted to allow the pure, unadulterated flavor of the apples to truly shine. This tart focuses on the harmonious blend of butter, sugar, apple, and that essential apricot glaze, delivering a clean, crisp apple taste. However, if you are a devout cinnamon fan and can’t imagine an apple dessert without it, feel free to sprinkle a bit with the sugar over the apples before baking. It’s your tart, make it your own!

As your tart bakes, you might notice the edges of the crust browning a bit more than the center. This is perfectly normal and actually desirable, as the sugars caramelize and create a delicious, slightly crisp texture. The goal is to ensure the apples are cooked through and tender to your liking. If the crust edges start to get too dark before the apples are soft, simply cover the edges with strips of aluminum foil to prevent further browning.

Pro Tip for Perfect Dough Handling

In the accompanying video, you might see me rolling the dough on a floured surface and then carefully transferring it to a parchment-lined sheet pan. While this works, I’ve discovered an even simpler method: roll the dough directly onto the parchment paper! This eliminates an extra step and the potential for the dough to tear or stick during transfer. Once rolled to your desired rectangular shape, simply lift the parchment paper with the dough onto your cookie sheet. Don’t hesitate to trim the edges of the dough if needed to achieve a neat, uniform rectangle – a little aesthetic perfection goes a long way!

If you find yourself with leftover apricot preserves after making this tart, don’t let them go to waste! I highly recommend trying my apricot pork chops. They are another fantastic way to enjoy the sweet and tangy flavor of apricot.

Whether you choose to serve this exquisite tart at your Thanksgiving feast, a summer BBQ on Memorial Day or the 4th of July, or simply on a quiet afternoon when you crave a burst of apple goodness, I sincerely hope it helps you rediscover the joy of a classic dessert. This recipe ensures that everyone, including those with Celiac disease, food sensitivities, or common food allergies, can indulge a little without worry. From my allergy-friendly family to yours, Happy Thanksgiving and happy baking!

Ina Garten’s French Apple Tart Made Gluten-free & Vegan (Top 8 free too!)

Yield:
10-12 servings

Prep Time:
25 minutes

Cook Time:
50 minutes

Additional Time:
1 hour

Total Time:
2 hours 15 minutes

If you need a last minute pie, with few ingredients for Thanksgiving (or the 4th of July, or really anytime you have a hankering for apple pie!) THIS IS IT. Basically flour, sugar, apples and butter–this doesn’t fiddle with a filling or having to crimp any kinds of edges. Flat and oh-so-holdable you’ll be cutting off big wedges for yourself. Topped with a glaze that REALLY makes the apples sing, this no-cinnamon, simply ALL APPLE tart is for apple lovers. Tweaked from Ina Garten’s famous apple tart, to make it gluten-free, vegan and top-8-free so all can enjoy no matter their food allergies or dietary restrictions.

Ingredients

CRUST:
2 cups gluten-free flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon xanthan
1 tablespoon sugar
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) cold vegan butter, diced
1/2 cup ice water
APPLE TOPPING:
4-5 Granny Smith apples
1/2 cup sugar (1/4 cup white + 1/4 up brown)
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold vegan butter, diced
GLAZE:
1/2 cup apricot jelly
2 tablespoons apple juice

Instructions

In your food processor with the steel blade, place the gluten-free flour, salt, xanthan and sugar. Pulse several times to combine.
Add the cold, diced vegan butter and pulse until the butter is about the size of peas (don’t over do!)
With the food processor on, slowly pour the ice water until the dough starts to come together (it’s OK if you don’t’ use it all.)
Dump the dough onto a floured surface and form into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour.
Cut a piece of parchment paper that will fit in your cookie sheet.
Once the dough has chilled, set it on the parchment paper. Flour your hands, the top of the dough and your rolling pin.
Preheat your oven 400 degrees F while you work the dough.
Roll the dough into a rectangle that fits on the parchment paper. Once shaped, lift the parchment paper onto the cookie sheet. Trim the edges if necessary to have it look uniform.
Refrigerate the dough while you peel and slice the apples. Slice the apples evenly in crosswise sections, removing the core and stem beforehand. (I used an ice cream scooper to remove the cores.)
Take the dough back out and fan the apples on top. Pour the entire 1/2 cup sugar evenly over the tops of the apples. Dot with the remaining butter.
Bake for 50-60 minutes, until apples are soft enough to your liking. It’s OK if the edges brown–this will happen with the apple juice and sugar caramelizing.
In a small saucepan, heat the apricot preserves and apple juice until it’s liquid enough to spread.
Using a pastry brush, smooth an even layer of the glaze on top of the cooked tart.
Cut with a pizza cutter into large squares. Serve warm, best if eaten the same day. Keep covered with plastic wrap when not eating.
EXCELLENT with a little bit of my vegan 1-ingredient caramel sauce on top.

Notes

Adapted from Ina Garten

Don’t forget to pin this recipe to save it for later! Be sure to also explore my other Allergy-Friendly Pinterest Boards for more delicious and inclusive ideas.